Time for Action sets out the Mayor’s vision for a programme of action for Equipping Young People for the Future and Preventing Violence.

You can find the full text of 'Time for Action - Equipping Young People for the Future and Preventing Violence on the Mayor's website

Key messages from the London Councils response

London Councils:

Welcomes the opportunity for dialogue with the Mayor on investing in young peopleand preventing crime.

Supports the approach of focussing on a limited number of programmes and seeking to deliver these well.

Agrees that there should be a balance between:

Targeted intervention and diversion and:

Young people building self-respect and responsibility.

Asks the Mayor to work with Council Leaders in their democratically accountable community leadership role. Leaders align resources effectively behind the priorities of local communities and

direct significant resources to both Children’s Servicesand policing and community safety.

Highlights the extensive range of projects that boroughs are already delivering. This ranges from innovative diversion projects to directly challenging the behaviour of young people in gangs. (See Guide to Promising Practice attached as Appendix A)

Recognises the value of evaluating promising practise and building a repository of evidence on ‘what works’ for boroughs and partners to utilise. This is a driver behind the recently established Serious Youth Violence Group, which is developing practical solutions to make the system work.

Urges the Mayor to build on London local government’s knowledge and expertise to deliver practical outcomes. There is much that can be learnt from the London Youth Crime Prevention Board and a great opportunity is presented by the Serious Youth Violence Group (chaired by London Councils).

Would welcome discussions with the Mayor about leadership of Project Brodie and Project Oracle in the following context:

Project Brodie should be seen as building on the work councils are already working on to improve Pupil Referral Units and tackle truancy.

Project Oracle should be aligned with the ‘repository of good practice’ which is being developed by the Serious Youth Violence Group.

Suggests that the City Charter might be an appropriate vehicle for taking forward discussions and joint work with the Mayor on youth interventions to tackle serious violence.

For the full text of our response, please see the attached document:

Also available below is the Promising Practice brochure with examples of good practice in this area.